Protective cover for a keyhole assembly



.1111.111969 Y V.SHANOK am 3,421,350

PROTECTIVE COVER FOR A KEYHOLE ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 2, 1967 United States Patent O 3,421,350 PROTECTIVE COVER FOR A KEYHOLE ASSEMBLY Victor Shanok and Jesse P. Shanok, Brooklyn, N.Y., as-

signors to Glass Laboratories Company, Brooklyn,

N.Y., a limited partnership of New York Filed Feb. 2, 1967, Ser. No. 613,559

U.S. Cl. 70-455 Int. Cl. Eb 17/18 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates generally to a protective device for a keyhole. More particularly, this invention relates to a protective cover for a keyhole, or the like, which is adapted to be self-mountable by magnetic means around the said keyhole.

Description of the prior art The problem of frozen automobile door locks is of course well known. Almost every motorist has been confronted, in cold, wet, freezing or otherwise inclement weather, with a door lock whose keyhole or key-receiver has been sealed olf by ice in freezing temperatures. Quite Vfrequently the motorist has had to resort to holding lighted matches under the key-receiver in order to free the opening or heating the door key itself by the same way, so that the opening can be thawed, the key inserted and the lock opened. Very often this procedure is most unsatisfactory resulting in burned fingers, or the match is continuously extinguished by howling winds. Even more disconcerting is that occasion which arises when the motorist has no matches, leaving only the heat of his hands or breath to try and thaw the key opening.

An attempt has been made in the past to overcome this common and well-known motorists problem: For example, there has been employed a circular metal disk pivotally mounted over the key-receiver. Ostensibly this disk was intended to overcome the above-mentioned problem, however what did happen, in fact, was that the entire assembly froze up, both the keyhole and the pivotally mounted metal disk which was supposed to act as a cover to prevent the freezing. In other words the keyhole assembly froze as before, only now additionally, the s0- called protective cover froze over the keyhole creating a further problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore among one of the principal objects of this invention to overcome this problem of frozen auto lock key receivers by providing a protective cover against such hazards that will ybe truly portective and can be removed. It is a still further important object to provide a cover that will also prevent moisture lfrom seeping into the auto lock mechanism.

In accordance with the present invention, there has now been devised a truly protective cover for a keyhole on a car or truck door lock, to guard against the hazards 3,421,350 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 ICC of freeze-up of the said keyhole or moisture seepage BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. l is an exploded perspective view of the invention showing the protective cover, in one of its embodiments, detached from -a conventional motor vehicle door lock keyhole assembly.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the invention, showing the protective cover magnetically abutted against a car door and covering the keyhole assembly, with the cover plate lbeilng partially cut-away toexpose the magnet and key- FIG. 3 is a side elevational cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along line 4-4 in the direction of the arrows located near the reference numeral.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention, in cross-section, showing the protective cover disposed away from the keyhole assembly.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the protective cover device in another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an annular magnet, used for magnetic mounting means for the cover device, and shows the four poles of the magnet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the gures of the drawing, the protective cover shown in substantially circular form is generally identified by the numeral 10 and comprises a circular face-plate 12 and `a generally annular shaped magnet 14. For the sake of convenience, the magnet 14 has a central aperture 16 so that it is adapted generally to conform to the circumferential edge 18 of keyhole assembly 20, with the keyhole (or key receiver) shown therein as 22. If desired, a chain 24 may be connected to face plate 12 through the eye-let 26, by means of link 24A and a tabular member 28 may be attached at the other end of the said chain so that the tab 28 may be inserted between the car door 30 and window 32. The position of the eye-let 26 is not critical and may be placed at any point on the edge 30 of face plate 12. A decorative element 34 is mounted on face plate 12, which said decorative element may take the form of an initial crest, seal, or a trademark. As can be seen by referring specifically to FIGS. 2 and 3, the protective cover 10 is abutted against the car door 30 by magnetic means (to be described further hereinbelow), so that the magnet 14 overlies and covers keyhole assembly 20 and its keyhole 22 by means of central aperture 16 which is placed in registry with said keyhole assembly 20. The tab 28 of chain 24 is then inserted between window 32 and door 30 so that it is held securely in place. It is to be understood that tab 28 may be soldered or welded to car door 30 to provide for a permanent mount, however, it is preferable for purposes of this invention that tab 2'8 not be permanently mounted to door 30, for the reason that the novel protective cover of this invention is adapted to be sold over the counter in novelty shops, auto accessory stores, dime stores and the like. Thus any individual can freely purchase it without any need for permanent installation.

FIG. 4 describes still another embodiment of the invention, in that the face plate 12 may be constructed so that an arc-like extension 36 is formed to be in registry with central aperture 16 of magnet 14. This proviso is made for a keyhole assembly 20 that is unusually projected forward, from car door 30, for a distance greater than on conventional car doors. Thus the arc-like extension 36 is adapted to comfortably receive such unusual projection described. Of course, decorative element 34 is then constructed to conform to the curvature of the arc-like extension 36, so that it can be mounted to said extension 36 on face-plate 12.

As previously mentioned the protective cover 10 is adapted to be self-mountable -by magnetic means upon any surface attracted by a magnetic field. Thus the said protective cover 10 may be disposed not only around keyhole assemblies provided in automobiles or trucks but can be used to protect any keyhole exposed to freezing weather or moisture such as conventional storm doors, or the like, which have surfaces attracted by a magnetic field. When desired to use the keyhole, the protective cover 10 is simply pulled away from door 30 and the key (not shown) is inserted.

To provide the magnetic eld required for the mounting of said protective cover 10, it is provided with magnetic poles 14A, designated as N and S, so that it may be readily attached to any surface attracted by a magnetic field. While the face plate 12 mounted over said magnet 14 at inside surface 12A may `be plastic or other suitable material, it is preferred that the face plate 12 be a material such as steel, or other suitable material attracted by a magnetic field, since the use of such material will provide for .an armature effect between the poles 14A of said magnet 14. By the action of the magnet 14 attaching itself to the door 30 attracted `by the magnetic field, the keyhole assembly 20 and keyhole 22 are effectively sealed off from snow, rain, or moisture in the air, thereby preventing freeze-up of the keyhole in below freezing temperatures. Of course, the lock mechanism (not shown) is also effectively protected, in the same manner. The magnet 14 is bonded to face plate 12 at inner surface 12A by a Suitable cement, by welding or by other suitable means.

The magnet 14 has been hereinabove described as having a generally annular shape, with its attendant central aperture 16. It is to be understood, however, that the said magnet need not be annular in shape since it obviously can be any shape so long as there is an aperture or recess provided to receive and protect the keyhole assembly 20. If desired the outer surface of the face plate 12 may be provided with suitable indicia to dene a direction of vertical orientation for the magnet 14 or the decorative element 34 may be used for such purpose.

As shown by FIG. the annular magnet 14 (dotted lines) need not extend to the peripheral edge of face plate 12 but may be of a smaller diameter than said face plate 12. Preferably, however, the peripheral edges of face plate 12 and magnet 14 substantially coincide, so that they are flush.

Having thus described the fundamental novel features of the invention, as applied to a specific embodiment, or embodiments, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the form of the device illustrated and in its operation `by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A protective cover for a keyhole assembly comprising a face plate connected at its inner surface to a substantially annular shaped magnet, said inner surface being that surface of said face plate closest to said keyhole assembly, said annular shaped magnet having an exposed surface adjacent to said keyhole assembly and being provided with a central aperture means which allows the passage of said keyhole assembly therethorugh, said inner surface of said face plate covering said aperture means to protect said keyhole assembly.

2. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said face plate is provided with an arc-like cross-sectional extension adapted to be in registry with said central aperture means, said arc-like extension also being adapted to overlie and allow passage of a projection of said keyhole assembly at least partially into the cavity formed by said arc-like extension.

3. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said face plate comprises a metal capable of being attracted to said annular shaped magnet.

4. A protective cover according to claim 1 wherein said face plate is a substantially circular shaped metal disk attractable to a magnetic field, said metal disk having a decorative element adhered to its outer surface, said outer surface being that surface of said face plate furthest disposed from said keyhole assembly, said metal disk exacting an armature effect, said magnet coinciding in size to that of said metal disk so that their respective peripheral edges coincide as a result.

5. A protective cover comprising a face plate connected at its inner surface to a substantially annular shaped magnet, said face plate provided with a receiving member at its peripheral edge, said receiving member receiving elongated carrying means having one end thereof adapted to engage said receiving member and the other end thereof adapted to be secured to a door containing a keyhole assembly, said inner surface being that surface of said face plate closest to said keyhole assembly, said annular shaped magnet having an exposed surface adjacent to said keyhole assembly and being provided with a central aperture means which allows the passage of said keyhole assembly therethrough, said inner surface of said face plate covering said aperture means to protect said keyhole assembly.

6. A protective cover according to claim 5 wherein said receiving member consists of an eyelet, said carrying means being a chain having a link thereof passed through the opening in said eyelet and said chain having attachments connected to its end furthest disposed from said eyelet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,639,751 5/1953 Flaherty 150-52 2,659,169 11/1953 Brennan 40-1.5 2,672,257 3/1954 Simmonds 292-2515 X 2,904,985 9/ 1959 Murphy 70-455 X 3,043,289 7/1962 Fox 292-2515 X 3,086,268 4/1963 Chafin 24-201 3,288,511 11/1966 Tavano 292-2515 3,300,239 1/1967 Dinkin 292-2515 FOREIGN PATENTS 351,049 6/ 1931 Great Britain.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

PERRY TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

